Luuk de Jong’s 89th minute equalizer looked to have given Michel Preud’homme’s side an unlikely point, canceling out Theo Janssen’s own goal, but Falkenburg’s dramatic winner ensured that the home side took the spoils.
Rain had lashed down on the AZ Stadion prior to kick-off, and led to treacherous conditions for both sets of players who, to their credit, tried to produce attractive football on the difficult surface.
Chances were however at a premium for much of the match, and it took an own goal to break the deadlock. Theo Janssen inadvertently sent the ball past the dive of Mihaylov, and the hosts held the lead.
The champions’ task of fashioning a route back into the match took a further blow as defender Douglas clashed with AZ’s Pontus Wernbloom, and the referee brandished a straight red to the Brazilian, who proceeded to embark on a incredible rant against the officials, and the offensive chanting that followed from the Twente fans led to the match being delayed for a brief period.
The balance was shifted back into Twente’s favor, however, when in the second half Nick Viergever was issued a somewhat harsh red card following a clash with Luuk de Jong as the striker bore down on goal.
The drama continued until the final moments of the match. De Jong, who remonstrated with the referee after he refused to award what seemed to be a blatant penalty, grabbed what looked to be a valuable equalizer, lashing home a strike from just inside the area, in off the crossbar.
However, AZ were not to be denied, and with almost the last kick of the game, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s deep cross found the foot of substitute Falkenburg, who controlled neatly and volleyed into the net.
Twente were outraged and failed to close the gap on leaders PSV, but AZ were joyous, and are closing in on a top four place in the Eredivisie table.
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AZ Alkmaar 2-1 Twente: Eric Falkenburg’s Injury-Time Winner Stuns Champions